Furniture Throw Down

I'm not too sad about the fact that my family room furniture looks like we pulled it out of the dumpster. When I see my boys eating on it (against the rules), jumping on it (also against the rules), or wiping their runny noses or food-stained mouths on it (defies all rules of common sense and decency), I get upset.

But not as upset as I'd get if they were doing this to NEW family room furniture. Let's face it. If we had new family room furniture, I'm sure I'd never let the kids near it. So the old stuff is fine. For now. I can live with it because it allows our family to live and to make a few mistakes (Sharpie markers, muddy shoes) and to learn not to do those things again. Eventually. I hope.

Instead of new furniture, I've invested in several "throws" to cover up rips, worn spots with the stuffing coming out, grease spots, Sharpie artwork, etc. I started with one burgundy throw over the ottoman after the Gatorade incident of 2007. The second throw was also burgundy and covered the back of the couch where the fabric has worn away (which coincidentally happens to be where the boys place their hands for their regular couch vaulting competitions--against the rules). The third throw was green and covered a corner of the couch where there had originally been a very, very small tear which was now the size of the Grand Canyon and which produced 2 feet of fluff a year all over the family room floor.

I figured we were still months away from throw number four until I saw this gem in Target last night.

I loved the colors and the woven texture was sure to add dimension and diversity to my family room. And there was only one left! So I grabbed it and walked around the store "thinking about it" while I shopped some more. Then I noticed a small piece of yarn that was slightly snagged. That decided it for me. That small defect turned out to be 15% off at the register, thank you very much.

This is the first throw on our big chair and I would like to point out that the plum in the throw would have matched the plum in the chair just perfectly, if the chair hadn't faded from years of indirect sunlight.

I predict, by the time I get new family room furniture, all of the old stuff will be entirely covered in throws. My mom speculates that I have spent more on throws than I would have on new furniture.

She is either paying way too little for furniture or WAY too much for throws.